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H. E. PIGKET. HYDRAULIC GONOENTRATOR AND AMALGAMATOR. No. 299,577. a vPatented June 8, 1884.

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(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. E. PIGKET.

HYDRAULIC UUNGENTRATOR-AND AMALGAMATOR.

No. 299,577. v Patented June 3, 1884.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 3.

H. E.- PIOKET. HYDRAULIO CONGENTRATOR AND AMALGAMATOR.

Patented June 3, 1884.

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HENRY n. PIGKET, or BRADFORD, rEnNsYLvANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,577, dated June 3,1884.

Application filed January 29, 1884. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY E. PIOKET, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bradford, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsyl- 5van'ia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHydraulicOon centrators and Amalgamators; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled 1o inthe art to which it appertainsto make and usethe same, reference being had to the accomanyingdrawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, forming part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hydraulic concentrators andamalgamators in which the concentrating or amalgamating is done in atank,(preferably lined with amalgamating-plates,) which tank receivesthe ma- 2o terial to be concentrated or amalgamated,with

its attendant dirt or other base material, in a crushed or disintegratedform, said tank being supplied with water under pressure through aseries of diagonal jets by means of 2 5 conduits on the under side ofthe said tank or by means of a sluice or pipes, the diagonal jets beingin this case supplied with compressed air or steam, the force of thejets in either case agitating the water and material 'in the tank andcausing them to travel toward atailings-tank attached to one end of themain tank,which receives and discharges the waste material and water,the valuable portion of the material having in its passage adhered to 3the amalgamating-plates by being brought into contact therewith, orbecause of its gravity falling to and remaining at the bottom of thetank before arriving at the openings ofthe tailings-tank.

The objects of my invention are, first, to construct the bottom of thetank of a hydraulic concentrating and amalgamating machine of V-shapedangles running lengthwise thereof, the bottoms of said angles beingprovided with one or more rows of adjustable jet-tubes extending throughthe bottom of said angles into conduits under said tank, adapted forsupplying air, steam, or Water under pressure through said jets to saidtank; second, to construct the angles in the bottom of the tank withtheir lower points flattened, so as to form plane surfaces upon which toattach j et-tubes commu- "angle of the jet.

nicating with conduits on the under side of the tank; third, toconstructon one end of the main tank a tailings-tank provided with an angularbottom, and a steam-jet or siphon pump for removing the refuse materialtherefrom; fourth, to construct covers for the main tank capable ofbeing locked down to prevent the contents of the tank from beinginterfered with; fifth, the construction of said main tankwith arotaryscreen mounted on one end thereof,with a flume or sluice adapted toconvey water and material to be concentrated to said rotary screen andto partially disintegrate the same, and also to catch and retain thecoarser particles of metal before delivering the material to therevolving screen; sixth, the construction and arrangement of the jets inthe bottom of the tank. I attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1' is aperspective view, in elevation, of my improved machine, with the flumeor sluice and driving-belt broken off. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional elevation of my improved machine on line 'y y in Fig. 3,showing the arrangement and action of j ets, the end of the screen andconduit-pipes being in elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view of thetailings-tank and the arrangement of the conduits for supplying thejets, the revolving screen and supporting frame being left off. Fig. 4is a transverse sectional elevation of the tailingstank attached to themain tank on line 00 x in Fig. 2, showing, partly in section, the steam-jet for removing tailings therefrom, and showing the openings therefrominto the main tank, also showing the shape of the lower points of theangles of the main tank, the revolving screen and supporting -framebeing left off. Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a portion of thebottom of one of the angles of the main tank and a conduit under thesame, together with one mode of construction and arrangement of thejet-openings. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section of the jet-openings shown in Fig. 5, showing the transverse Fig. 7 isalongitudinal vertical section of the same j et-opening, showing thelongitudinal angle of the jet. Fig. 8shows a nipple suitable forconnecting the jets with the conduits under the tank. Figs. 9 and 10show modified forms of the jets constructed so as to be adjustable. Fig.11 shows a vertical section of the adjustable jettubes, shown as screwedinto the jet-openings in Figs. 9 and 10. Fig. 12 shows a transversevertical section of a jet-tube constructed of suitable size and shape tobe screwed over the nipple (shown as Fig. 8) and used as asingle jet.Fig. 13 is a transverse vertical section of the main tank of my machineon line a in Fig. 2, with the revolving screen left off, showing thearrangement of the amalgamatingplates lining the tank, and a modifiedarrangement of the jets; also, a modified form of conduit for supplyingcompressed air, steam, or water through the jets to the tank.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout all the figures.

In constructing my machine the main tank A, I construct preferably ofiron or steel, though it may be constructed of plank or other materialjoined together so as to be water-tight. The bottom of the tank Iconstruct of one or more longitudinal V- shaped angles, having theirlower points slightly flattened at a a, (shown in Figs. 3, l, and 18,)these flattened surfaces a a serving as bearings for the adjustablejet-tubes, hereinafter described. The sides of the tank A from the topof the V-angles upward are constructed, preferably, nearlyperpendicular. One end of the tank A supports the revolving screen B,hereinafter described. This end of the tank Ais constructed with asloping surface, A, and lined with amalgam plates, hereinafterdescribed,to catch and retain particles of metal as they fall from thescreen B thereon. The opposite end, F, of the tank A is constructed,preferably,perpendicular from the bottom a a of the angles to the top ofthe tank, and is provided with openings F F, near the bottom of saidangles, for

communicating with a tailings-tank, G, hereinafter described.

The revolving screen B, hereinbefore referred to, is constructed withopenings 0 at either end thereof, one to receive material and one todischarge waste, (the dischargecpening not being shown.) The outside ofthis screen is made of suitable screening material, and the illside isprovided with screw-flights of ordinary construction, (not shown,) orother suitable device for carrying the material from the reccivingtowardthe discharge end of the screen. This screen B is mounted in suitablebearings fixed to the sides of the tank A near the sloping end A, sothat the lower part of the screen will extend down some distance intothe water in the tank A. The screen B is revolved by a belt, E, or othermotive power suitable for that purpose. From the receiving end C of therevolving screen B, I construct a fiume or sluice, D, to any point wherematerial is being mined. This flume or sluice is provided with rifflesof ordinary construction, (not shown,) which may be charged withquicksilver. The material to be concentrated and amalgamated is washedand carried along the flume or sluice D, and delivered into therevolving screen B by means ol'water, and in its passage through thesluice D is considerably disintegrated and prepared for the action ofthe screen B, and at the same time the larger particles of metal, whichwould not pass through the meshes of the screen B, are caught andretained in the riffies in the bottom of the sluice D. Thepartiallydisintegrated material, having been delivered into thereceiving end 0 of the screen B, is, during its passage toward thedischarge end of the screen B, completely disintegrated by the action ofthe water in which the lower part of the screen revolves, and the finerportions sifted through the meshes of the screen into the tank A, andthe gravel and coarser material finally discharged at the opposite ordischarge end of the screen B.

To the end F of the tank A is attached a railings-tank. G, which isconstructed with a Vshaped bottom, G, the lower point of the V beingflattened sufficiently to receive the standard or support of the jet orsiphon pump H H. This discharge-pump is constructed of a discharge-pipe,H, and a steam-jet pipe, H,

the bottom of the pipeHbeing open, as shown in Fig. 4, and havingtherein the steam-jet H, which passes down through bottom G of thetailings-tank G, where it connects with the steam-supply pipe. Thissteam-jet pump operates to remove the tailings from the bottom G of thetailings-tank G as rapidly as they pass through the openings F F fromthe main tank A. The tailings-tank G is also provided with awaste-chute, I, to carry off the surplus waterfrom the tank, and awaste-cock, I, is placed in the bottom of the tailings-tank G foremptying the tank when desired. Under the bottom of the angles a a ofthe main tank A, I place conduits J J, preferably formed of ordinarywater or steam pipe. They may, however, be constructed in variousshapes, and riveted to the tank, as shown at Jin Fig. 13, the form ofthe conduits not being material. Through the bottoms a a of the anglesof the tank A, I screw nipples K K, 850., (shown in Figs. 5 and 8,)leaving their upper ends to project above the bottom of the tank A. Iplace these nipples as near together as may be practicable-for example,from one and one-half to two inches apart, though they may be placedfarther apart, if deemed desirable. Upon the upper ends of these I screwjet-caps L L, 850. which caps are provided with diagonal jet-openings LL, two or more being bored in each jet-cap. These openings L L arebored, so as to throw jets somewhat sidewise each way, and at the sametime directed toward the discharge end of the tank, so as to produce athorough agitation of the contents of the tank, and at the same timemove the material forward toward and into the tailingstank G, the lasttwo jets being arranged to pass through the openings F F into thetailingstank G. These jets can be constructed by boring the jet-holes ata suitable angle in the jetcaps L L, or by boring straight holes intothe jet-caps L L, &c., and inserting therein jettubes L U, as shown inFigs. 9 aud'10, the

construction of these jet-tubes L L being shown in Fig. 11. Thesejet-tubes can be adjusted to throw the jets at any angle desired, so asto make the material travel through the tank faster or slower, asdesired, by turning them to the right or left, or by changing thejet-tubes and inserting tubes with larger or smaller jet-openings, asmay be desired, according to the power or quantity of compressed air,water, or steam it is desired to force into the tank in the form ofjets, thus being able to utilize a smaller or a larger amount of water,compressed air, or steam, according to the supply available to be usedfor that purpose.

If desirable, I. can use single jet-tubes M,

- screwed directly over the nipples K, as shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 13shows a modified form of the conduits, and also a modified arrangementof the jets, using in this arrangement alternately single and doublejets, instead of all double jets, as shown in Fig. 5. I can, however,if' desired, use single jets only, like that in Fig. 12. Any of theforms or arrangements of jets described work Well, and are preferablyused according to the kind of material to be worked, as with stickytenacious material it is necessary to use more jets to operate itsuccessfully, and with light, sandy material a less number of jets workwell, and with regard to the passage of material through the tank somekinds require much more jet-power than others to move them through thetank at a proper speed and prevent accumulations, resulting in cloggingand preventing the successful working of the machine. The amalgamatedplates N N, &c., for lining the tank A, may be made of anysuitableshape. I, however, prefer the shape shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 13.Theplates, being in sections, can be readily removed for cleaning andrecharging with quicksilver. The angles N N, 850., form steps, whichmaterially assist in catching and retaining particles of metal thrown upby the jets as they fall back, and also serve to retain larger portionsof quicksilver on the plates, and prevent it being shaken to the bottomof the tank too rapidly by the vibration of the machine.

The tank-cover O O is made in sections hinged together and' attached tothe tank by hooks P P and clasps P, so that they can be rapidly removedentirely from the tank A, and laid aside or partially opened, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2, or, when desired, entirely closed over the tank up tothe revolving screen B, andlocked, so as to effectually prevent anymolestation of the contents of the tank A.

The conduits J J under the bottom of the tank A are provided with caps jand plugs j at either end thereof, which can be readily removed in casethe conduits or jets become obstructed and require cleaning, or forother purposes. The steam, compressed air, or water used to operate thejets is supplied, by any means (not shown) ordinarily used for suchpurposes, through the pipe It by its branches RR, connecting with theconduits J J. The steam-jet H in the bottom of the tailings-tank G issupplied by a pipe, S, connecting with a boiler. (Not shown.) Themachine maybe mounted on a frame-work support, T T, &c., or uponanyother suitable support.

The blocks U U U, I make, preferably, of vulcanized rubber, so as toadmit of a slight vibration of the tank A by the operation of therevolving screen B, thereby causing the quicksilver deposited on theupper row of the amalgamated plates N N, 850., to work down graduallyover the plates below toward the bottom of the tank.

In operating my machine, if used with clayey and tenacious material, Ipreferably supply the material to the revolving screen B throughtheflume or sluice D, together with sufficient water to supply the tank,and I then operate the jets by compressed air or steam, asis mostconvenient. The material having passed into the revolving-screen B in apartially disintegrated condition, the screen, in revolving, completesthe disintegration of the material, and sifts all the finer portionsthereof through its meshes into the tank A below, and that portion whichwill not pass through the meshes is discharged as coarse tailings fromthe discharge end of the screen B. Of that portion of the materialfalling into the tank A the coarser portions of the metal fallimmediately upon the amalgamated platesNN at the sloping end A of thetank A, Where it.

is retained. Much of the metal, however, being in fine particles, andencumbered with dirt and other impurities, falls toward the:

bottom of the tank, where it is caught by one series of jets afteranother and thrown upward, until finally it lodges on someportion of theamalgamated plates N N, &c. The waste which will not adhere to theamalgamated plates, finally reaching the last series of jets, is thrownthrough the openings F F into the tailings-tank G, when it settles tothe bottom, and isthrown out by the steam-jet H as fine tailingsl Inworking light material, which is comparatively free 1 from clay andtenacious substances, I can dispense with the sluice and deliver thematerial directly to the revolving IIO screen 13, which willsufficiently disintegrate I material of that kind, in which case Isupply the jets with water under sufficient pressure to produce thenecessary jet power to operate the machine.

The construction and operation of my invention will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description bythose conversant with theart to which it relates without further explanation.

I have shown a simple means for removing tailings from thetailings-tank; but it is obvious that other devices would readilysuggest themselves to mechanics and others desiring to utilize mymachine. Therefore I do not desire to limit myself to the particularconstruction shown for that purpose; neither do I desire to limit myselfto the exact form and construction of the parts of my invention, as itis obvious to those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains that many changes in form and arrangement of parts might bemade without departing from the spirit or materially interfering withthe successful op eration of my machine.

I am aware that hydraulic concentrating and amalgamating machines havebeen heretofore constructed embodying some of the features of mymachine. For example, tanks therefor have been constructed with angularbottoms, and rotary screens have been used therewith; also,tailings-tanks and various devices for removing tailings therefrom.\Vater-jets have also been used in such machines; but I am not aware ofany such machine having been constructed in which a tank having alongitudinal angular bottom has arranged therein jets and jet-tubeswhich pass through said hottom into conduits under said tank, or inwhich the jets and jet-tubes so placed are adjustable according to thework to be accomplished by them. Neither am I aware of any constructionof such machine in which a steam-j et pump is constructed and arrangedin the tailings-tank to remove the tailings therefrom.

I am aware that the cylinders of amalgamating-machines have beenprovided with covers but"I am not aware of the tank of any concentratingand amalgamating machine of the construction I have described beingprovided with a removable cover arranged to be locked down as I havedone.

I am aware that machines of this class have been heretofore constructedwith a hopper, through which the crude material is supplied directly tothe revolving screen; but I am not aware of any such machine having beenconstructed with a fiume or sluice for partially disintegrating andsupplying material to the revolving cylinder as I hHNG done.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent ofthe United States, is V 1. In a hydraulic concentrating and amalgamatingmachine, a tank having a longitudinal angular bottom, in combinationwith one or more rows of diagonal jets and jet-tubes projecting throughthe bottom of said tank into conduits under said tank, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. I11 a hydraulic concentrating and amalgamating machine, a main tankhaving a longitudinal angular bottom, a revolving screen mounted overone end of said tank, andatailings-tank at the opposite end of saidtank, provided with means for removing tailings therefrom, incombination with one or more rows of adjustable diagonal jets, andconduits under said tank communicating through the bottom thereof withsaid jets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a hydraulic concentrating and amalgamating machine, a main tankhaving longitudinal V shaped angles in the bottom thereof, provided withjet tubes extending through the bottom of said angles into conduitsunder said main tank, in combination with a tailings-tank having asteam-jet pump therein, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a hydraulic concentrating or amalgamating machine, the combinationand arrangement of the conduits J, the nipples K K, and jet-caps L L,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a hydraulic concentrating or amalgamating machine, the adj ustablejet-tubes L L, in combination with the jet-capsL L, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

6. In a hydraulic concentrating or amalgamating machine, the nipples K,extending through the bottom of the angle a in the tank A into conduitsunder the said tank, in combination with an alternate arrangement of thejet-caps L L with the adjustable jet-tubes M M, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

. 7. In a hydraulic concentrating or amalgamating machine, the tank A,in combination with the conduits J J, provided with caps j j and plugs jj, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. PIGKET.

\Vitnesses:

H. J. CUR'IZE, J OHN B. EIOHENLAUB.

